Golf club carrying apparatus



Nov. 2, 1965 R. R. REED 3,215,181

GOLF CLUB CARRYING APPARATUS Filed July 15, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //V VENTOP. POL/IND POBERT REED Nov. 2, 1965 Filed July 13, 1962 R. R. REED GOLF CLUB CARRYING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 //Y VE/Y 7 0/2 POLAND ROBERT REED United States Patent 3,215,181 GOLF CLUB CARRYING APPARATUS Roland Robert Reed, 2909 88th Court, Urbandale, Iowa Filed July 13, 1962, Ser. No. 209,533 6 Claims. (Cl. ISO-1.5)

This invention relates to a golf club carrying apparatus, and particularly to an apparatus for use by one individual in carrying his own clubs and related paraphernalia on the golf course.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel and useful apparatus for supporting the usual golf club equipment of an individual.

Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus as characterized which is lightweight, easily carried and handled, and which is readily and securely placed in an upright ground engaging position.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a lightweight, sturdy apparatus adapted to carry golf clubs in spaced, horizontally disposed position, wherein the apparatus provides a balanced arrangement for easy handling.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus as characterized hereinbefore readily carried by either hand to ones side in the manner of a suitcase or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide such an apparatus which includes, in addition to means for transporting golf clubs, means for supporting golf tees, balls, and other related items of equipment, all within for all practical purposes the framework of the apparatus.

Still another object of this invention is the provision of such an apparatus including a golf ball device capable of holding a plurality of balls each of which is readily removed by a simple finger manipulation.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of a golf club carrying apparatus capable of attaining the above designated objects and which is of sturdy but lightweight material of economical manufacture, is highly effective for its use, and is of a pleasing appearance.

These objects, and other features and advantages of this invention will become readily apparent upon reference to the following description when taken into consideration with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my golf club carrying apparatus, shown with several clubs held thereby;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken longitudinally of the apparatus along line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line 33 in FIG. 2 and showing alternate positions of a spike device;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 and wherein a bag is shown as a part of the apparatus, certain parts broken away for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 5 is an end elevational View of the apparatus of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, the golf club carrying apparatus of my invention is designated generally at 10 in FIG. 1 and comprises generally a framework 11, a plurality of spring clips 12 attached to the framework 11 for supporting one or more golf clubs 13, 14, 15 and 16, a handle 17 which is part of a plate unit including means for carrying golf tees 18 and a housing 19 for holding golf balls 21, and a ground engaging spike device 22 for aiding the upright support of the apparatus 10.

Specifically, the framework 11 includes a pair of substantially rectangular, tubular frames 23 and 24 of light- 3,215,181 Patented Nov. 2, 1965 26 adapted to be horizontally disposed, an upright front portion 27 at what shall be termed the front of the apparatus 10, an upper portion 28 rounded at each end, and an upright rear portion 29.

As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the frames 23 and 24 are maintained in their longitudinally parallel, transversely aligned and spaced relation 'by a plurality, five to be exact as illustrated, of spacing bars 31 (see also FIG. 6). Each bar 31 has an extension 32 at either end thereof which extends completely through openings provided therefor in the respective adjacent frame portion. The exposed ends of the extension 32 are secured as by soldering or like process to the exterior surface of the frame portion.

The spring clips 12 are conventional clips, each secured as by a metal screw or the like (not shown) to the adjacent frame. Referring to FIG. 1, it is seen that the clips are arranged in vertically spaced, horizontally or longitudinally aligned pairs 12a and 12b, 12c and 12d, etc. Each pair 12a and 12b, for example, is adapted to securely hold a club, such as iron 16, wherein the clips extend behind, under, and in front of the shank of the club. By this arrangement, a club can easily be forced downwardly into the pair of clips, and then readily lifted up and out of the clips for use. In this manner, the shanks and head grips particularly of all the clubs are maintained apart to prevent undue wear and tear thereon.

The handle 17 is shown secured to a plate unit 33 near the front thereof to compensate for the overloaded nature of the front of the apparatus 10 due to the placement of all the golf clubs as illustrated in FIG. 1, with their club heads at the front end of the framework 11. Thus, upon lifting the apparatus by the handle 17, a balanced load is achieved. The plate unit 33 includes a flat plate 34 extended over the upper frame portion 28 and curved to fit the contour thereof at the front of the apparatus. The curved part 36 has a plurality of small openings 37 formed therein, each of which may have seated therein a rubberlike grommet 38 to snugly receive and hold a golf tee 18.

At the rear of the handle 17, a leaf spring 39 is secured to the plate 34 for the purpose of holding a score card (not shown), and an opening 41 slightly larger than the diameter of a golf ball is formed in the plate 34 next to the spring 39. Disposed below the plate 34 and the upper frame portions 28 is the elongated, cylindrical housing 19 (FIGS. 2 and 4) for holding the golf balls 21. The housing 19 is of a length and width to hold a plurality of balls 21 and is secured to the undersides of the three upper spacing bars (see FIG. 2). At the rear end of the housing 19, a small opening 42 is formed in the bottom wall thereof which is vertically aligned with the opening 41 in the plate 34. And intermediate the upper and lower openings 41 and 42 an upwardly extended neck passage 43 is formed at the end of the housing 19. A golf ball 21 can readily pass through the neck 43.

Thus, it may readily be seen that one or more balls 21 can be dropped through the opening 41 and the neck 43 for disposal in the housing 19. To remove a ball from the housing 19, one need merely insert his finger upwardly through the lower opening 42, after tilting or shifting the apparatus to ensure a ball 21 is over the opening 42, and push the ball upwardly through the neck and the opening 41 where it can be grasped by the other hand.

As there are many instances where the apparatus 10 must stand on a slope, although the apparatus can set weight metal. Each frame has a straight bottom portion upright on relatively level ground due to the laterally spaced frames 23 and 24, the spike device 22 is provided. As best seen in FIGS. 1-3, the device includes an elongated spike 44 integral at its upper end with a transversely extended, tubular shaft 46 journaled at its re- 3 duced ends 47 in respective adjacent bottom frame portions 26.

Also integral with the shaft 46 is a spring housing 45 which houses a ball 48 at an open end thereof, and which ball 48 is held continuously by a spring 49 in a groove 51 formed in a stationary plate 52. The plate 52' is mounted in an upright manner to one of the bottom frame portions 26, and the groove 51 is arcuately formed therein with depressed areas 53 (FIG. 2) and 54 (FIG. 3) at the upper and lower ends thereof to provide for a semi-locking of the ball 48 and thus the device 22 therein. Thus, when the ball 48 is held in the lower depression 54, the spike device 22 is in a generally horizontal non-operative position as illustrated in full lines in FIGS. 1-3. However, upon rotating the spike 44 about the shaft 46 until the ball 48 is in the upper depression 53, the spike 44 assumes a ground penetrating position, as shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3.

The golf club carrying apparatus is completed by a bag 56 (FIGS. 4 and 5) of canvas, or plastic or the like, which is suspended between the frames 23 and 24. A quartet of clips 57 are secured to the inside surfaces of the front and rear frame portions 27 and 29 for supporting upper loops 58 at the four upper corners of the bag 56, and the bottom thereof is provided centrally at each end with a strap and buckle fastening device 59 for circling engagement with an adjacent spacing bar 31. The bag 56 is provided with a zipper 61 or the like and is adapted to hold golf shoes and other golfing equipment.

In summation, it can readily be seen that a sturdy, lightweight, evenly balanced golf equipment carrying apparatus has been disclosed, an apparatus to be used by one individual and which is not carried over the shoulder or towed on a cart, but which is easily carried to one side.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my Golf Club Carrying Apparatus without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. A golf club carrying apparatus comprising in combination:

frame means adapted to set on a ground surface and having opposite parallel sides;

golf club engaging means secured to each side and adapted to hold a plurality of golf clubs in vertically spaced, horizontally disposed, parallel relationship;

a handle device attached to a top portion of the frame means;

means for storing a plurality of golf balls attached to said top portion and disposed therebelow;

means secured to said top portion adjacent said handle device for holding a plurality of golf tees, said means for holding a plurality of golf tees includes a plurality of openings formed therein, each of said openings having seated therein a resilient grommet to receive and hold said golf tees;

closeable means secured to and extended between said sides for holding articles of clothing and the like; and

means pivotally connected to a bottom portion of said frame means and adapted in one position to be forced into the ground, said pivotal means including an elongated spike integral at its upper end with a transversely extended, tubular shaft having reduced ends, said reduced ends journaled in respective adjacent frame portions, said tubular shaft comprising therein a spring housing means having therein a ball held at an open end thereof by means of a spring, said ball held in a groove in a stationary flat plate, said plate mounted in an upright manner to a frame portion, said groove being arcuately formed therein with depressed locking areas at the upper and lower ends thereof to provide for a semilocking of said ball in either of said depressed areas.

2. A golf club carrying apparatus comprising in combination:

a pair of substantially rectangular frames secured together in transversely aligned and spaced relationship;

a handle secured to the upper portions of said frames;

a plurality of vertically spaced pairs of longitudinally spaced spring clips secured to the outer surface of each frame, each pair of clips adapted to securely hold one golf club;

a bag of canvas or like material secured to said frames and suspended therebetween, said bag having a closeable opening; and

a ground entering spike pivotally connected to said frames intermediate their bottom portions, said spike disposed normally horizontally between said frames in one position and pivotally movable to a downwardly extended vertical position, said spike being elongated, said spike being integral at its upper end with a transversely extended, tubular shaft having reduced ends, said reduced ends journaled in respective adjacent frame portions, said tubular shaft comprising therein a spring housing means having therein a ball held at an open end thereof by means of a spring, said ball held in a groove in a stationary fiat plate, said plate mounted in an upright manner to a frame portion, said groove being arcuately formed therein with depressed locking areas at the upper and lower ends thereof to provide for a semilocking of said ball in either of said depressed areas.

3. A golf club carrying apparatus comprising in combination:

a pair of substantially rectangular frames secured togfither in transversely aligned and spaced relations 1p;

a plate secured to and extended between the upper portions of said frames, said plate having a plurality of openings formed therein each of said openings having seated therein a resilient grommet to receive and hold a golf tee, a handle secured to said plate for lifting said apparatus, and said plate having a passageway formed therein of a size through which a golf ball can pass;

an elongated golf ball containing housing secured to and disposed below said upper frame portions, said housing closed except for having an opening of a size similar to and disposed directly below said passageway, said housing also having a hole in the bottom thereof and vertically aligned with said passageway and said housing opening, whereby upon a golf ball being disposed over said hole, upon inserting a finger through said hole and upwardly against said ball, the ball can be pushed upwardly thryugh the housing opening and the passageway; an

a plurality of vertically spaced pairs of longitudinally spaced spring clips secured to the outer surface of each frame, each pair of clips adapted to secure y hold one golf club.

4. A golf club carrying apparatus comprising in combination:

a pair of substantially rectangular frames secured together in transversely aligned and spaced relationship;

a plate secured to and extended between the upper portions of said frames, said plate having a plurality of openings formed therein, each of said openings having seated therein a resilient grommet to receive and hold a golf tee, a handle secured to said plate for lifting said apparatus, and said plate having a pasan elongated golf ball containing housing secured to and disposed below said upper frame portions, said elongated, said spike being integral at its upper end with a transversely extended, tubular shaft having reduced ends, said reduced ends journaled in respective adjacent frame portions, said tubular shaft housing closed except for having an opening of a 5 comprising therein a spring housing means having size similar to and disposed directly below said pastherein a ball held at an open end thereof by means sageway, said housing also having a hole in the botof a spring, said ball held in a groove in a stationary tom thereof and vertically aligned with said passagefiat plate, said plate mounted in an upright manway and said housing opening, whereby upon a golf nor to a frame portion, said groove being arcuately ball being disposed over said hole, upon inserting a 10 formed therein with depressed locking areas at the finger through said hole and upwardly against said ball, the ball can be pushed upwardly through the upper and lower ends thereof to provide for a semilocking of said ball in either of said depressed areas.

6. A golf club carrying apparatus comprising in combination,

a pair of substantially rectangular frames secured tohousing opening and the passageway; a bag of canvas or like material secured to said frames and suspended therebetween, said bag having a closeable opening; and

ground entering spike pivotally connected to said frames intermediate their bottom portions, said spike disposed normally horizontally between said gether in transversely aligned and spaced relationship,

a plate secured to and extended between the upper portions of said frames; said plate having a hand e frames in one position, and pivotally movable to a secured thereto for lifting said apparatus; said plate downwardly extended vertical position, each of said having a passageway formed therein of a size through spikes being elongated, each of said spikes being inwhich a golf ball can pass,

tegral at its upper end with a transversely extended, an elongated golf ball containing housing secured to tubular shaft having reduced ends, said reduced ends and disposed below said upper frame portions, said journaled in respective adjacent frame portions, said housing closed except for having an opening of a tubular shaft comprising therein a spring housing size similar to and disposed directly below said pasmeans having therein a ball held at an open end sageway, said housing also having a hole in the thereof by means of a spring, said ball held in a bottom thereof and vertically aligned with said pasgroove in a stationary flat plate, said plate mounted sa-geway and said housing opening, whereby upon in an upright manner to a frame portion, said groove being arcuately formed therein with depressed locking areas at the upper and lower ends thereof to provide for a semi-locking of said ball in either a golf ball being disposed over said hole, upon inserting a finger through said hole and upwardly against said ball, the ball can be pushed upwardly through the housing opening and the passageway,

and a means on the outer surface of each frame to detachably hold a plurality of golf clubs thereon in a substantially parallel relationship to each other.

of said depressed areas. 5. A golf club carrying apparatus comprising in combination:

a pair of substantially rectangular frames secured together in transversely aligned and spaced relationship;

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS a plurality of vertically spaced pairs of longitudinally 4O spaced p ing clips secured to the outer surface of ;ggggg 2g; :;5 i each frame, each P Of lips adapted to securely 1 803 153 4/31 Tre t 15X hold one golf Club, the g lf Cl b and other clubs 2 024 484 12/35 S It; -150 15 held with the heads ther0f at one end of said frames; 3 m1 1591,s a ndle secured to the upper portions of said fra 2,482, 72 9/49 Rossow 21 6,

toward the her nd of said frames; 1g; l}; "2:11 16-; 0 a bag of canvas or like material secured to said frames 9 1 52 a 01156 21 633 and Suspended therebetween, Said bag having a close- 2/ WIlSOII able opening; and 18 9/59 Smith 15() 1 5 a ground entering pik pivota ly connected to said 2 353 263 32 2 5 2 1 5 01311-54; frames mtermedlatfl l om POItlOnS, said spike 2,990,865 7/61 Steele 1-5 disposed normally horizontally between said frames in one position, and pivotally movable to a downwardly extended vertical position, said spike being FRANKLIN GARRETT Pnmary Examiner 

1. A GOLF CLUB CARRYING APPARATUS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: FRAME MEANS ADAPTED TO SET ON A GROUND SURFACE AND HAVING OPPOSITE PARALLEL SIDES; GOLF CLUB ENGAGING MEANS SECURED TO EACH SIDE AND ADAPTED TO HOLD A PLURALITY OF GOLF CLUBS IN VERTICALLY SPACED, HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED, PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP; A HANDLE DEVICE ATTACHED TO A TOP PORTION OF THE FRAME MEANS; MEANS FOR STORING A PLURALITY OF GOLF BALLS ATTACHED TO SAID TOP PORTION AND DISPOSED THEREBELOW; MEANS SECURED TO SAID TOP PORTION ADJACENT SAID HANDLE DEVICE FOR HOLDING A PLURALITY OF GOLF TEES, SAID MEANS FOR HOLDING A PLURALITY OF GOLF TEES INCLUDES A PLURALITY OF OPENINGS FORMED THEREIN, EACH OF SAID OPENINGS HAVING SEATED THEREIN A RESILIENT GROMMET TO RECEIVE AND HOLD SAID GOLF TEES; CLOSEABLE MEANS SECURED TO AND EXTENDED BETWEEN SAID SIDES FOR HOLDING ARTICLES OF CLOTHING AND THE LIKE; AND MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO A BOTTOM PORTION OF SAID FRAME MEANS AND ADAPTED IN ONE POSITION OF THE FORCE INTO THE GROUND, SAID PIVOTAL MEANS INCLUDING AN ELONGATED SPIKE INTEGRAL AT ITS UPPER END WITH A TRANSVERSELY EXTENDED, TUBULAR SHAFT HAVING REDUCED ENDS, SAID REDUCED ENDS JOURNALED IN RESPECTIVE ADJACENT FRAME PORTIONS, SAID TUBULAR SHAFT COMPRISING THEREIN A SPRING HOUSING MEANS HAVING THEREIN A BALL HELD AT AN OPEN END THEREOF BY MEANS OF A SPRING, SAID BALL HELD IN A GROOVE IN A STATIONARY FLATE PLATE, SAID PLATE MOUNTED IN AN UPRIGHT MANNER TO A FRAME PORTION, SAID GROOVE BEING ARCUATELY FORMED THEREIN WITH DEPRESSED LOCKING AREAS AT THE UPPER AND LOWER ENDS THEREOF TO PROVIDE FOR A SEMILOCKING OF SAID BALL IN EITHER OF SAID DEPRESSED AREAS. 